The Wilbur Shaw tyre test you mention was on the IMS: there's a brief description of it in his autobiography. It was also filmed and that footage, along with other pieces shot at the same time with Ray Harroun and Ralph De Palma, forms part of a Firestone publicity film called "Crucible of Speed", which is part of a DVD available from Rare Sports Films:

I haven't seen the film, so can't tell you what car he used - no doubt somebody can - but there is a picture in his autobiography which shows him in the cockpit: the car has "AAA Tire Test Car" written in an oval on the scuttle.

The car was the 1931 Miller of the Boyle team, now cnsiderably modified and fitted with an Offy engine (I believe). It started the 500 miles twice from pole position (1932 & '33) and was last used in 1937, when Louie Meyer finished 4th with it (its best result at Indy, but it won National Championship races on dirt, board and road circuits).

As further evidence of this, I have found point standings for both the CSRA and Hankinson Circuit Championships from April 1942, indicating a "business as usual" mentality. Both championships began with the April 19 Reading Inaugural meeting, and since I have (almost) full results for that event I was able to figure out the scoring method for the CSRA title at the very least - Hankinson points were a bit more complex, I'm afraid...

The two articles detailing the points tables also included previews of the following races for each championship, so that the following list of qualifying rounds can be established:

I'm sure there must've been more races, as I've seen Chitwood credited with 14 wins for 1942! Anyway, he won the CSRA title with 274 points, which should equal roughly six wins, from Hinnershitz with either 202 or 208, depending on source. Alas, I have no info on whether Hankinson ever published a final point tabulation for the year - as will be recalled, he died in August of 1942. Apparently, IMCA didn't publish a final points table, either, but Chitwood is occasionally mentioned as the 1942 IMCA "king".

Found out a bit more: Frank Funk, promoter at Winchester, Dayton, Fort Wayne and Jungle Park had his own sanctioning body for the 1942 (and, presumably, 1945) season(s), the Midwest Racing Association (MRA) - "Independent, but with Approval of AAA"! Thus, the June 14 race at Fort Wayne was very probably not a CSRA event, but MRA. The MRA schedule looks to have been something like:

And here’s a list of loose ends from various posts. Does anyone have any answers?

ARGENTINA
1940
March 17: Mar del Plata (Did it take place? Who won?)
March --: Mendoza (Did it take place? When and who won?)
AUSTRALIA
1939
Full speedway racing season (This took place, but for bikes, midgets or both?)
1940
--/--: Albury, NSW (This took place, but when and who won?)
--/-- Phillip Island, Vic (This took place, but when and who won?)
--/-- Tooronga Park, Melbourne, Vic (This took place, but when and who won?).)
--/--: Pingelly speed trials, WA (around May?) (This took place, but when and who won?)
--/--: Penrith 1 mile oval, NSW (This took place, but when and who won?)
1941
--/--: Applecross, WA (Did it take place? When who won?)
April 14: Penrith 1 mile oval (This took place, who won?)
April 25: Penrith 1 mile oval (This took place, who won?)
--/--: Pingelly speed trials, WA (around May?) (This took place, but when and who won?)
--/--: Tooronga Park Carnival, Melbourne, Vic (This took place, but when and who won?)
1944
-- October?: Henson Park football ground, Sydney (midget races) (This took place, but when and who won?)
1945
March 11: NSW (Vintage Sports Car Club of Australia - One Hour Trial) (This took place, who won?)
June 24: Rob Roy, Vic (Hill climb) (Who won?)
BRAZIL
1941
February --: Circuito de Gavea (Did it take place? When and who won?)
June 22-29: Gran Premio Presidente Getulio Vargas (Did it take place? Who won?)
CEYLON
1940
November 24: Mahagastota hillclimb (This took place, who won?)
IRELAND
1939
December 26: (A trial) (Did it take place? Who won?)
1940
January 27: Dublin University (Trial) (Did it take place? Who won?)
March 18th (Irish MRC trial) (Did it take place? Who won?)
May 4: IMRC sprint (Did it take place? Who won?)
May 4: Donabate Speed Trials (This took place, Who won?)
June 8; Munster Road Race (Did it take place? Who won?)
June 15: Speed event (Did it take place? Who won?)
October 5th Leinster Sporting Trial (Did it take place? Who won?)
ITALY
1940
June 2: Coppa Ascoli (Did it take place? Who won?)
June 9 Parma-Poggio di Barceto hill climb (Did it take place? Who won?)
July 21st Stelvio Hillclimb (sports cars) (Did it take place? Who won?)
August 15 Targa Abruzzo (sports cars) (or 18th?) (Did it take place? Who won?)
August 25 Circuito del Carnaro (sports cars) (Did it take place? Who won?)
MEXICO
1939
racing on Ignacio Zaragoza dirt-track (This took place, but for bikes, midgets or both?)
NEW ZEALAND
1939
Speedway racing at Western Springs (This took place, but for bikes, midgets or both?)
1940
--/--: Centennial Road Race, Glendowie - CANCELLED (Date?)
POLAND
1939
18 June: International Endurance Trial (Did it take place? Who won?)
URUGUAY
1940
--/--: 24hour race, Autodromo Nacional- (This took place, but when and who won?)
YUGOSLAVIA
1940
August 14: Avala (Rally, 2nd L. Radic - BMW 328) (Who won?)

SWEDEN1940February 1: Karlskoga (1st Berg – Alfa Romeo Monza) - is this a confusion with Lake Möckeln on February 18th? February 1st 1940 was a Thursday.

And here’s a list of loose ends from various posts. Does anyone have any answers?

ARGENTINA1940 March 17: Mar del Plata (Did it take place? Who won?) - actually March 10th. Canziani.March --: Mendoza (Did it take place? When and who won?) - March 31st. Ochoteco.AUSTRALIA 1939 Full speedway racing season (This took place, but for bikes, midgets or both?)1940 --/--: Albury, NSW (This took place, but when and who won?) - June 17th, two races: H James & Alf Barrett --/-- Phillip Island, Vic (This took place, but when and who won?) - motorcycle event. Some time in February, I think.--/-- Tooronga Park, Melbourne, Vic (This took place, but when and who won?).)--/--: Pingelly speed trials, WA (around May?) (This took place, but when and who won?) - January 28th. Actually circuit races on handicap: main event won by Bob Lee.--/--: Penrith 1 mile oval, NSW (This took place, but when and who won?)1941 --/--: Applecross, WA (Did it take place? When who won?) - November 11th 1940 - Harley HammondApril 14: Penrith 1 mile oval (This took place, who won?)April 25: Penrith 1 mile oval (This took place, who won?)--/--: Pingelly speed trials, WA (around May?) (This took place, but when and who won?) - January 27th. Again circuit races: wins for Harley Hammond, Clem Dwyer and Duncan Ord.--/--: Tooronga Park Carnival, Melbourne, Vic (This took place, but when and who won?)1944-- October?: Henson Park football ground, Sydney (midget races) (This took place, but when and who won?)1945March 11: NSW (Vintage Sports Car Club of Australia - One Hour Trial) (This took place, who won?)June 24: Rob Roy, Vic (Hill climb) (Who won?) - error on Hans' list. Actually Greensborough. But I don't have the winner.BRAZIL1941 February --: Circuito de Gavea (Did it take place? When and who won?) - cancelled, replaced by Rio GP in NovemberJune 22-29: Gran Premio Presidente Getulio Vargas (Did it take place? Who won?) - FangioCEYLON1940 November 24: Mahagastota hillclimb (This took place, who won?) - I have this as March 25thIRELAND - because the Irish racing calendar was controlled by the Southern Section of the Motor Cycle Union there were often joint events run by bike and car clubs, with the bike club usually being the named organiser.1939December 26: (A trial) (Did it take place? Who won?) - I haven't investigated Irish trials but the Hewison Trophy for the 1939-40 season was won by Paddy Le Fanu1940January 27: Dublin University (Trial) (Did it take place? Who won?)March 18th (Irish MRC trial) (Did it take place? Who won?)May 4: IMRC sprint (Did it take place? Who won?) May 4: Donabate Speed Trials (This took place, Who won?) - IMRC sprint as above. FTD McQuillan.June 8; Munster Road Race (Did it take place? Who won?) - motorcycle raceJune 15: Speed event (Did it take place? Who won?) - I think this was a motorcycle-only eventOctober 5th Leinster Sporting Trial (Did it take place? Who won?)ITALY 1940 - all cancelledJune 2: Coppa Ascoli (Did it take place? Who won?)June 9 Parma-Poggio di Barceto hill climb (Did it take place? Who won?)July 21st Stelvio Hillclimb (sports cars) (Did it take place? Who won?)August 15 Targa Abruzzo (sports cars) (or 18th?) (Did it take place? Who won?)August 25 Circuito del Carnaro (sports cars) (Did it take place? Who won?)MEXICO1939 racing on Ignacio Zaragoza dirt-track (This took place, but for bikes, midgets or both?)NEW ZEALAND1939 Speedway racing at Western Springs (This took place, but for bikes, midgets or both?) 1940 --/--: Centennial Road Race, Glendowie - CANCELLED (Date?)POLAND193918 June: International Endurance Trial (Did it take place? Who won?) - see post 92 of this threadURUGUAY1940 --/--: 24hour race, Autodromo Nacional- (This took place, but when and who won?)YUGOSLAVIA1940 August 14: Avala (Rally, 2nd L. Radic - BMW 328) (Who won?)

Here are press reports of speedway meetings in Sydney in December 1942, May 1944 and December 1944:

SPEED CAR RACING AGAIN Speed car racing will be reintroduced at the Sports Ground track this afternoon, when a series of scratch races and handicaps will form part of the programme at a charity sports carnival.The racing is made possible mainly owing to the easing of the water restrictions, which will enable the track to be watered, and also because of the use of substitute fuel. Response to entries has been good and among the leading drivers will be A. MacKinnon, C. Scott, R. Revell, R Preston, C Martin, J. Daly, and E. Hughes.Other events include cycling races, a baseball match, and a wrestling contest.Sydney Morning Herald, Saturday, 5th December 1942, page 12

BOY, SISTER HURT: CAR RACE SMASHSYDNEY, Sunday. Two children each had both legs broken when a competing midget car skidded at a carnival at the Sports Ground yesterday and ran off the track. The victims were Robin Yates, 9, and his sister, Zoe Yates, 7, of Leonard Avenue, Kingsford. Many thousands of people saw the accident. The crowd was watching a challenge race between William Randell, of the U.S. Transport Service, and Ray Revell, a local driver, when Randell's car skidded in front of the members' stand and collided with the safety fence. The lower battens of the fence were smashed and the car struck the two children. They were taken to St. Vincent's Hospital.

Courier-Mail (Brisbane), Monday, 1 May 1944, page 3SPEEDWAY RACING SPILLSTherr were a few spectacular spills at the speedway meeting at the Sports Ground yesterday, but none of the competitors suffered injury.The meeting was the first conducted by the N.S.W. Auto Racing Association for four years, and attracted a fair attendance.The main event, the New South Wales Championship for Midget Cars was won by V. Hibbard.

CAR RACING OFFAutomobile races scheduled for Aurora Speedway, at Seattle, where abruptly cancelled when air raid wardens protested that they were a waste of gasoline and rubber.Courier-Mail (Brisbane), Saturday, 20 June 1942, page 2

This is my listing of circuit events, turismo carretera road races, sprints and hillclimbs run between September 3rd 1939 and the end of December 1945. All events between the two Judgeford climbs are for gas-producer-equipped road cars. Those with question marks are ones for which I haven't found details. It doesn't include midget races, beach races or the minor Australian grass track events.

I'm no expert in dirt-track events, but my guess would be that whereas in the US they were 'midget' versions of 'big cars', in Australia (and NZ) they were the main category, and the name wasn't so appropriate

Furthermore, by the postwar years at least, I don't think they were the same as US midgets - I think they were allowed to run bigger engines, but without knowing the US definition of 'midget' I don't really know if that's so...

I'm no expert in dirt-track events, but my guess would be that whereas in the US they were 'midget' versions of 'big cars', in Australia (and NZ) they were the main category, and the name wasn't so appropriate

Early political correctness maybe - Australia has always led the world in this.

There was plenty of "big" car dirt racing in Australia pre and post midget. There is a good picture on Brian Darby's www.vintagespeedway.com of big cars at Wentworth Park speedway captioned as follows:

With the opening meeting of the 1929 Speedway season, the Oval was renamed Wentworth Park. 'Big cars' also ran at the bike meetings on 19.10.1929 - 16.1.1932 and the 11.11.1933. The 1/4 mile slightly banked track was deemed too small for these ' Light ' or Big Cars as they were called and Midget Speedcars were introduced to Wentworth Park Speedway on 5.10.1935.

AFAIK the 'big cars' referred to in your quote would have been road-racing Bugattis etc. I'd be surprised if the term 'speedcars' was applied to midgets as early as 1935

Speed-car seems to have been used in the Aussie press from the mid-20s, although usually referring to record cars like Bluebird and Enterprise, but this seems to be the first use specifically in reference to midgets - albeit possibly accidental - and is from the Brisbane Courier-Mail, 28/2/36:

The champion British speed-car drivers, Jean Revllle and Bud Stanley, will appear In a series of handicap and scratch races.

There are further mentions in the Perth Mirror of 21/11/36 and Sydney Morning Herald of 22/10/38, but the term seems to have been popularised first in Victoria and can be found regularly in the Melbourne Argus, starting on 8/12/38, 30/12/38. 7/1/39, 18/1/39 etc etc. By the end of 1939 it seems to have been current in Sydney too and can be found frequently in both papers in 1940.

So, not quite 1935, but certainly 1939. That year the Argus specifically mentions the Victoria Speed-car Championship and the Herald the NSW Speedcar Drivers' Association. However, apart from those first Brisbane and Perth mentions, the term only seems to have been used in NSW and VA until after the war.

Last Monday I handled a photograph reliably captioned as showing an illegal 750 Motor Club meeting in 1941 at Blackbushe. I assumed it must have taken place on the surfaced sections newly laid down for what became RAF Hartford Bridge Flats, which I think became operational on the Blackbushe common site in November that year. I thought, coo, that's interesting, I'll post it on TNF. But I promptly lost the print. I haven't a clue where it's gone, but instead I'm just posting the information here. Does anyone else know of such an event? 750MC founder Holly Birkett, who lived just nearby in Fleet, would have been one of the instigators...

Last Monday I handled a photograph reliably captioned as showing an illegal 750 Motor Club meeting in 1941 at Blackbushe. I assumed it must have taken place on the surfaced sections newly laid down for what became RAF Hartford Bridge Flats, which I think became operational on the Blackbushe common site in November that year. I thought, coo, that's interesting, I'll post it on TNF. But I promptly lost the print. I haven't a clue where it's gone, but instead I'm just posting the information here. Does anyone else know of such an event? 750MC founder Holly Birkett, who lived just nearby in Fleet, would have been one of the instigators...

DCN

Well the location certainly fits, given that when you look at the venues of early 750MC "social" meetings most are within easy reach of - or on - the A30: I seem to recall one wartime gathering was at The Ely, which is only a stone's throw from Blackbushe. And the 750MC was - at least according to Motor Sport - one of only two pre-war clubs still operating on a "members level" in 1941, the other being CUAC, although both closed "for the duration" in 1943. The VCC and JCC committees also met regularly throughout the war.

"... another meeting was scheduled at Blackwater for June 8th." Motor Sport June 1941 p357

"On June 8th the 750 Club, now under the sponsorship of Capon and Birkett, held a half-day rally at the Ely Hotel on Hartford Bridge Flats. The afternoon was devoted to a simple competition ..." ibid p370

Whatever the "simple competition" was, it seems to have taken place in the early part of the afternoon, since afterwards "Boddy turned up for tea straight from wartime toil ..."

Most of the cars in attendance seem to have been fairly standard models, but at least two sporting Sevens - Mallock's special and Lush's TT model - were in evidence, plus a Meadows-engined HRG and a couple of Frazer Nashes. After tea, various of the cars also made their way to the Pirbright hills where they "disported themselves on the slime" - in other words an impromptu trial. They then returned to the Ely: the whole day was summed up as "a good party".

Well the location certainly fits, given that when you look at the venues of early 750MC "social" meetings most are within easy reach of - or on - the A30: I seem to recall one wartime gathering was at The Ely, which is only a stone's throw from Blackbushe. And the 750MC was - at least according to Motor Sport - one of only two pre-war clubs still operating on a "members level" in 1941, the other being CUAC, although both closed "for the duration" in 1943. The VCC and JCC committees also met regularly throughout the war.

Was the 750MC actually a club before the war or just an assembly of interested people brought together by WB?

Was the 750MC actually a club before the war or just an assembly of interested people brought together by WB?

Although it was certainly WB's idea, the club was formally constituted on March 29th 1939 in the romantic setting of Willesden. See various reports in early 1939 issues of Motor Sport, notably April, p122: "The 750 Club is Formed".

Thanks TerryMy point is that the cars that came to be known as speedcars are what started out as midgets - as your photos confirm

Among the 'big cars' I can identify in the photos are an Alvis and a Fronty-Ford - the sort of cars that might also have competed in trials, hillclimbs and even at Phillip Island at the time (as did Bugattis). Not - in most cases - purpose-built dirt-track cars

In 1941 members of the Western Australian Sporting Car Club (WASCC) got together for a speed event on Salt Lakes south of Perth. It may it was more of a thrash around than any organised event but be assured people took times for the sprints.
I havn't looked up in the newspapers but have photos of all the cars competing

Remember the United States didn't enter World War II until after December 7, 1941, so U.S. races from 1939, 1940 and 1941 don't belong on the list. And, as written, July 31, 1942 is when the ban on auto racing went into effect.

There was a LOT of racing in the U.S. in 1939, 1940 and 1941. It was business as usual. And racing, particularly midget racing, prospered until the ban went into effect. Many tracks ran races that final night.

Surprisingly there was motorcycle speedway right thro' WW2 at Belle Vue Manchester, a few meetings at Rye House and maybe West ham and Crystal Palace. There were two match races between midgets at Belle Vue as follows:

Among the 'big cars' I can identify in the photos are an Alvis and a Fronty-Ford - the sort of cars that might also have competed in trials, hillclimbs and even at Phillip Island at the time (as did Bugattis). Not - in most cases - purpose-built dirt-track cars

They look like track cars to me but I really don't know for sure. One of the drivers shown, Charlie Spurgeon, became a leading midget driver when they started in Sydney. Anyway, here is Cec Warren and Bugatti - which did run at Phillip Island - plus two more behind in pre-midget days. Richmond is in Melbourne, presumably a horse or trotting track, and it would be interesting to know more about this meeting or to see more Bugattis cinder-shifting. But this is off topic I suppose ......

Surprisingly there was motorcycle speedway right thro' WW2 at Belle Vue Manchester, a few meetings at Rye House and maybe West ham and Crystal Palace. There were two match races between midgets at Belle Vue as follows:

The Crystal Palace meetings only ceased because the entire park was requisitioned by the army in mid-1940.

I have been wondering what happened here immediately post-war; in Motor Sport there is much discussion about the availability or otherwise of Brooklands and Donnington but I have not seen any mention of Crystal Palace's status?

I have been wondering what happened here immediately post-war; in Motor Sport there is much discussion about the availability or otherwise of Brooklands and Donnington but I have not seen any mention of Crystal Palace's status?

There were grand - and I do mean GRAND - plans to redevelop the entire park, including ice rinks, exhibition halls, theatres, an amphitheatre, dance halls and a football stadium the size of Wembley. The tender document for the associated architectural competition specifically rules out the revival of motor racing, although architects were free to use the existing tarmac as part of their designs.

The original announcement of these plans had been made in 1937, but the competition wasn't launched until March 1945.

There were grand - and I do mean GRAND - plans to redevelop the entire park, including ice rinks, dance halls and a football stadium the size of Wembley. The tender document for the associated architectural competition specifically rules out the revival of motor racing, although architects were free to use the existing tarmac as part of their designs.

Thanks, but any idea why it wasn't mentioned along with the other two places in MS or was it already a lost cause? I think there was a lot of local opposition prewar.

Lost cause, I think: presumably the Trustees had made this clear to the Road Racing Club some time before. When the army handed the place back in late 1944 it had apparently been wrecked - all fixtures and fittings stripped from every building - and was described as looking as if it had been “chosen as the field for the most realistic battle of the war."

To the first sentence, I am tempted to answer yes, probably. Italian races AND that Spanish reference (albeit without any mention of track) in the context might have something to do with it. Who released that calendar? The AIACR?

On the second let me remind the readers that do not know or can´t place the subject on its right timing, that Spain had been at war from July 1936 to April 1939. A horrible war where, between other considerations, some of the "contenders" of the II WW had been "practising" so to speak. On both sides, don´t get me wrong...

So, under no circumstances would the Spanish point of view on the recently-started war be described or thought of as "little local difficulty"... actually maybe the (surviving) Spaniards might have been the only ones that might have gathered how long a war can be...

Anyway, I do not think that Spain, after three years of war, was in any way in a situation where organizing a motor race would have been a feasible proposition. The fact that a Spanish GP was included in that list has always puzzled me.

fm

Sorry Felix - I am well aware of the horrors of the Spanish Civil War and the suffering it inflicted. I suspect you have construed my use of the phrase 'a little local difficulty' as being a dismissive description of that conflict. This was not and is not the case at all. That phrase was not describing thr Spanish Civil War.

Here in Great Britain the outbreak of a second war with Germany was played down in some quarters as being merely a "little local difficulty between Nazi Germany and Poland" - at least during the initial period of what the American press nicknamed 'The Phoney War'. Back at the start of World War 1 the outbreak of hostilities involving Serbia, the greater Austro-Hungarian Empire, Germany and Russia had initially been interpreted as another "little local difficulty". The phrase is more an example of blinkered and parochial homeland British thinking than any aspersion whatsoever upon the gravity of your country's Civil War.

Well the location certainly fits, given that when you look at the venues of early 750MC "social" meetings most are within easy reach of - or on - the A30: I seem to recall one wartime gathering was at The Ely, which is only a stone's throw from Blackbushe. And the 750MC was - at least according to Motor Sport - one of only two pre-war clubs still operating on a "members level" in 1941, the other being CUAC, although both closed "for the duration" in 1943. The VCC and JCC committees also met regularly throughout the war.

I found this:

Before Blackbushe opened as an operational airfield, late in 1941 and just before the cancellation of the private petrol allowance, the 750Motor Club ran strictly unofficial Speed Trials on Hartford Bridge Flats, on a road now covered by the airfield. The paddock was laid out to resemble a picnic, the timekeeper was hidden in the hedge and the starter was a man who kept dropping his handkerchief. Gordon Woods set btd in his Frazer Nash in 22.8sec.

Before Blackbushe opened as an operational airfield, late in 1941 and just before the cancellation of the private petrol allowance, the 750Motor Club ran strictly unofficial Speed Trials on Hartford Bridge Flats, on a road now covered by the airfield. The paddock was laid out to resemble a picnic, the timekeeper was hidden in the hedge and the starter was a man who kept dropping his handkerchief. Gordon Woods set btd in his Frazer Nash in 22.8sec.

Julian, I don't doubt the description of how it happened, especially as the Motor Sport report mentions the presence of Frazer Nashes, but I would suggest the vague dates are (shall we say) "confused". "Basic" wasn't abolished until June 30th 1942. In addition, all references I can find suggest that RAF Hartford Bridge opened in November 1942, although the site had been requisitioned in October 1941 and RAE Farnborough had already been using it for glider testing.

The June 8th 1941 meeting of the 750MC is the only one recorded as taking place at the Ely and as I noted above was even pre-announced in Motor Sport as to take place a couple of miles down the road at Blackwater - the others were invariably in Coulsdon or Osterley Park. So perhaps Blackwater station (on the A30) was a rendezvous point to mislead the fuzz in case they got wind of what was going on?

This is my listing of circuit events, turismo carretera road races, sprints and hillclimbs run between September 3rd 1939 and the end of December 1945. All events between the two Judgeford climbs are for gas-producer-equipped road cars. Those with question marks are ones for which I haven't found details. It doesn't include midget races, beach races or the minor Australian grass track events.

[code=auto:0]DATE 3 Sep 39 YUG Belgrade City Race

In Motor Sport November 1939 p307 Continental Notes and News it states:"... both the Mercedes Benz and Auto-Union teams actually took part in a Grand Prix (sic) at Bucharest on Sunday September 3rd, the day Britain declared war on Germany. The race was won by Nuvolari with Muller second and von Brauchitsch third and I understand that Hermann Lang crashed when leading."

I haven't found any other reference to this Bucharest race in Motor Sport nor have I come across the AIACR calendar for 1939. I wonder if Belgrade and Bucharest have been mixed up, either then or now?

In Motor Sport November 1939 p307 Continental Notes and News it states:

"... both the Mercedes Benz and Auto-Union teams actually took part in a Grand Prix (sic) at Bucharest on Sunday September 3rd, the day Britain declared war on Germany. The race was won by Nuvolari with Muller second and von Brauchitsch third and I understand that Hermann Lang crashed when leading."

I haven't found any other reference to this Bucharest race in Motor Sport nor have I come across the AIACR calendar for 1939. I wonder if Belgrade and Bucharest have been mixed up, either then or now?

Yes, it's a mistake by 'Auslander', which can sometimes be found in later books too. "A far-away place, of which we know little ..."

Just to confuse things, there had been a Bucharest Grand Prix, run on June 25th (the same day as Seaman was killed at Spa). Hans Stuck won it in an Auto Union C-type.

Not quite. Nuvolari won from von Brauchitsch and Müller. Von Brauchitsch led from the start ahead of Lang, until a stone thrown up by von Brauchitsch smashed Lang’s goggles putting glass splinters into his eyes, and he stopped to hand over to Walter Bäumer, who later crashed. Von Brauchitsch then spun and stalled, but was able to restart by running downhill against the traffic, which nearly took out the pursuing Auto Unions. All the first three then suffered delays due to punctures. There were only five starters.

Here is an article from the "West Australian", dated the 24th of October, 1940,giving the list of starters for the "Patriotic Grand Prix". Tomlinson did not recoverfrom his illness, an Edward Lilly was involved in a traffic accident in his car in lateOctober, so there were only 13 starters.

"MOTORING. APPLECROSS RACE LIST OF DRIVERS. Exciting Event Promised.FIFTEEN entries have been received for the Patriotic Grand Prix which will beconducted over the new Applecross circuit on Monday, November 11, the King'sBirthday holiday. In many re spects the field comprises the best and fastest thathas yet met in any one event, although it now appears that Allan Tomlinson willbe a non-starter owing to ill health. One of the first to lodge an entry, Tomlinsonhas been in hospital since Monday of last week, and if he is unable to compete hewill be bitterly disappointed, as he regards the Applecross circuit as one of the besthe has yet encountered, having all the thrills of the famous Lobethal circuit inSouth Australia, where he won the Australian Grand Prix [in] 1939, but of an ideal length(two and a half miles), permitting the spectators more frequent views of the competitorswithout detracting from the spectacle of the race. The circuit will undoubtedly be thefastest yet driven over in this state.

Newcomers to the sport will be Allan Mackintosh at the wheel of the Bartlett drivenpreviously by Clem Dyer and Brian Holmes; Ted Lilley driving Nelson's Ballot, BobNeilsen in Baird's Terraplane Milton Royal of Goomalling in a Ford V8 raced once atDowerin by Charley Dent, and Albert Jensen in a P.B. type M.G. once owned by Ord.Of the others Clem Dwyer is still working on his special Plymouth engined racer, whileRon Posselt, who lapped Albany last Easter at 2.16, will be at the wheel of yet anotherFord V8, making the third different machine of the same make that he has driven inthree races."

Last Monday I handled a photograph reliably captioned as showing an illegal 750 Motor Club meeting in 1941 at Blackbushe. I assumed it must have taken place on the surfaced sections newly laid down for what became RAF Hartford Bridge Flats, which I think became operational on the Blackbushe common site in November that year. I thought, coo, that's interesting, I'll post it on TNF. But I promptly lost the print. I haven't a clue where it's gone, but instead I'm just posting the information here. Does anyone else know of such an event? 750MC founder Holly Birkett, who lived just nearby in Fleet, would have been one of the instigators...

A better quality DSJ shot from the 750MC's wartime get together at Osterley Park, captioned "Wartime - C.J. Merten's 4 1/2 Bentley at 750 club 'Osterley'". No wonder so many wartime fatalities and injuries were inflicted by night-time road accidents...

Illegal because such fuel as there was was only available for officially sanctioned necessary motoring and a sprint isn't that, one has to admit.
The headlamp masks on Con Mertens' Bentley seem to have been intended for much smaller lamps, but, as we remember, not much light was ever available from masked lamps so blackout accidents were inevitable.

Illegal because such fuel as there was was only available for officially sanctioned necessary motoring and a sprint isn't that, one has to admit.

No, not exactly. The "basic" petrol ration was still available to private motorists until July 1st 1942, allowing ordinary drivers roughly 200 miles of "pleasure motoring" a month, based on RAC horsepower ratings. After that date you had to have a permit authorising use of your vehicle for official purposes, but by then virtually all private cars not already requisitioned for military use had been laid up - and would soon have their tyres requisitioned on the grounds that the military needed them more.

Competitions were classed as "illegal" because the RAC had instituted a self-imposed ban on sanctioning competitive events at the outbreak of war. The ACU didn't follow suit and there were regular motorcycle scrambles run under their aegis. The British government never actually banned motor sport during WW2: the RAC (which, according to Light Car, now stood for "Restricts All Competition"!) did it for them.

Osterley Park was a regular 750MC meeting venue in the days of "basic".

Interesting photo of "Osterley". Can't place it at all. The only tarmac post war (50s) in Osterley Park was the straight entrance drive - the track on round the lake was/is gravel. No buildings like that either. Osterley Park was the Home Guard training centre from quite early in WW2 but not aware any associated permanent buildings (which have a "30s" look in the photo, just like my nearby school). Whitney Straight's place was nearby but it doesn't look right for that either.
When did it become mandatory to paint wings of private cars white in WW2? No sign of it in photo.

Interesting piece in latest Bugantics Spring 2012 about the problems of the March 1948 speed event at Luton Hoo after the post war basic petrol ration (c 90 miles per month) had been terminated (ie so there was no private fuel) in late 1947